The Manzanita Experience
No Two Projects Demand the Same Expertise
The people chosen to build a project shape it as much as the drawings do. Here is how we think about that choice, and what to ask any builder about it.
Read the noteIdeas from Manzanita
Field Notes.
On making a home, making decisions, and understanding the work between the first idea and the finished detail.
A little understanding.
A more considered home.
A home takes shape through a series of decisions. These notes explore the questions worth asking, the details worth considering and the planning that helps design intentions find their way into the work.
From the Collection
Preserving What Made It Special
The Adams Street renovation in St. Helena, and why the goal was never to make an old house look new.
Read the noteConstruction
The Work Behind the Finished Surface
What an exterior renovation can reveal, and why the work behind the visible finish belongs in the project conversation.
Read the noteRenovation planning
Planning a Napa Valley Home Renovation
A practical starting point for defining a home renovation: priorities, scope, selections and the conversations that connect them.
Read the noteHome care and repair planning
Keeping a Useful Record of Your Home
Organize observations, service records and past repairs into a clearer starting point for a residential renovation.
Read the noteProject decisions
The Decisions Behind the Details
Compare residential construction choices through design intent, coordination, upkeep and the scope each option actually includes.
Read the noteSite and architectural character
A Home and Its Napa Valley Setting
Observe light, views, privacy, access and existing character before defining a residential design brief.
Read the noteLiving in the home
A Home for Everyday Life
Use household routines, storage, shared space and changing needs to create a more specific residential design brief.
Read the noteChoosing the project scope
Renovate, Add On, or Rethink?
Compare residential project directions against the home you have, the life you want and the questions still needing investigation.
Read the noteA conversation about your home
Start with what matters to you.
Tell us about your home, your design ideas and what you hope to change. We can begin with a conversation about the work ahead.